Mixed Vegetable Salad with Sweet and Sour Pan-fried Scallops
Thierry Alix stresses that the vegetables must be fresh for the best salad. His spicy dressing adds an unusual “island” taste. This recipe uses nutmeg jelly; you can substitute a little apple or apricot jelly flavored with nutmeg if you can’t find it in a specialty market. On the television program Chef Alix uses scallops with the coral (roe) still attached; the dish may also be made with scallops without the coral.
Ingredients
- Green string beans - 12
- Baby string beans - 4
- Snow Peas - 12
- Broccoli - 1
- Cauliflower head - 1/2
- Baby Turnips - 8
- Baby Leeks - 4
- White Asparagus - 8 stalks
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil - 4 tablespoons
- Red cherry tomatoes - 4
- Orange cherry tomatoes - 4
- Radishes - 8
- Shiitake mushroom pieces - 8
- Grain - 1/4 cup, cooked and cooled (whole wheatberries, quinoa, or other natural grain)
- Sea Scallops - 12, medium
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Olive Oil - 4 tablespoons
- Dressing
- Ginger juice - 12 tablespoons
- Grapeseed Oil - 1 cup
- Soy Sauce - 4 teaspoons
- Tamarind - 2 teaspoons
- Nutmeg jelly - 4 teaspoons
- Coriander leaves - 8 fresh
- Fresh mint leaves - 8, sliced in narrow strips
- Cilantro - 4 sprigs
Instructions
Snap the tips of the large green beans, wash, and drain. Bring 2 quarts of salted water to a rolling boil over high heat. Plunge the large green beans and baby green beans into the water and cook, uncovered, for 2 minutes. With a slotted spoon, remove the beans from the boiling water and plunge them into a bowl of ice water. Leave until completely cold, then drain and pat dry with paper towels. Repeat the operation with the peas, broccoli, cauliflower, turnips, leeks, and asparagus. Refrigerate until needed. Melt the butter in a saute pan and saute the mushrooms over medium-high heat for 2 - 3 minutes, until golden. Set aside to cool.
To make the dressing: In a deep small bowl, whisk all ingredients together.
To serve: Season the scallops on each side with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a medium skillet until it ripples; sear three scallops in the oil until they color. Turn to sear all sides; do not let them touch one another. Set aside and keep warm; repeat the operation with the remaining scallops, three at a time.
To serve: Slice the cauliflower into quarters, then slice each quarter into 1/4-inch slices. Fan them in the center of the plates. Place the other vegetables around the cauliflower. Drizzle with ginger vinaigrette. Sprinkle the dishes with grain. Place 3 scallops on each plate, and garnish with cilantro sprigs.
